With all the advancements in modern moviemaking – from unfathomably large screens and bone-shaking soundsystems in movie theaters, to absurdly high-definition camera technology, to hyper-realistic, bordering on the unsettling, progress in computer-generated imagery (CGI) – it’s understandable why a lot of moviegoers might overlook the classics, the black and white era. To make a contemporary analogy, the films of yesteryear, as opposed to those of today, might be akin to walking around with a Razor flip phone as opposed to an iPhone.
But, regardless of all the technological advancements in recent decades, the art of filmmaking is, and always has been, based upon one simple foundation: a compelling story, portrayed by talented performers. And there are a lot of films from the black and white era, which many moviegoers have been sleeping on simply because of our modern aversion to anything considered old and outdated, that still hold up today. So, here’s a handful worth checking out.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
8 Seven Samurai
Toho
Japanese director Akira Kurosawa is still considered one of the all-time greatest and most influential film directors to this day. And more than 60 years since the release one of Kurosawa’s most enduring cinematic masterpieces, Seven Samurai, filmmakers of today are still taking notes. The film essentially introduced the world to the commonplace “assembling a team to defeat a common enemy” trope. Ring a bell? Ahem, Avengers; the Star Wars saga; the Fast and the Furious franchise; the list goes on. Not to mention, the film was revolutionary in its cinematography, editing, fight sequences, and more – all of which still make it worth a watch today.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
7 The Maltese Falcon
Warner Bros.
Based on the 1930 novel of the same name by author Dashiell Hammett, the 1941 film adaptation of The Maltese Falcon is a classic in that it was one of the first to embrace the crime noir genre. That means that the film, and director John Huston’s innovative blueprint for the genre, inspired countless films in the years and decades that followed – from Chinatown (1974) to Mulholland Drive (2001) to Blade Runner (1982), and beyond. As for the film’s enduring legacy, it was added to the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
6 It’s a Wonderful Life
RKO Radio Pictures
For many families, it’s tradition to watch It’s a Wonderful Life around the holidays. It airs on countless TV channels during that time of year and, in a lot of places across the country, in theaters, too. The film follows a depressed and suicidal businessman played by James Stewart, as he is visited by an angel (Henry Travers) who shows Stewart’s character what the world would’ve been like had he never been born and how valuable his presence is to so many people. It’s those themes of joy and merriment, coupled with the fact that its set around Christmastime, that continue to ignite the holiday spirit for viewers year after year.
5 Psycho
Paramount Pictures
As (arguably) Alfred Hitchcock’s best and most beloved films, Psycho (1960) is one of cinema’s greatest achievements of all time, often making it close to the top spot of “must see” films for any serious film buff. But it’s one scene in particular that almost everyone – even people who haven’t seen the film – have engrained in their brains. The infamous “shower scene” is a touchstone of pop culture. And it’s not just due to the pure terror of the scene; Hitchcock created one of the most suspenseful scenes ever filmed with the innovative use of jump cuts, coupled with the screeching violin soundtrack that still sends shivers down the spines of viewers some 60 years later.
4 The Grapes of Wrath
Twentieth Century Fox
John Steinbeck’s 1939 novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is considered one of the many literary masterpieces worthy of contending for the title of the Great American Novel. So, when it came time to create a film version of the story, it had to be good. And thankfully, director John Ford pulled it off in his 1940 adaptation. The tale is quite grim – it deals with severe poverty, the dust bowl, the trials and tribulations of western migration, etc. – but the cinematography and the acting (specifically by silver screen legend, Henry Fonda) make the film an enduring classic, still guaranteed to captivate audiences today.
3 To Kill a Mockingbird
Universal Pictures
Harper Lee’s beloved 1960 novel is still taught in English classes today. All these years later, and middle school students are still familiar with the To Kill a Mockingbird’s main characters: Scout, Jem, Boo Radley, and Atticus Finch. And the 1962 film, directed by Robert Mulligan, holds nearly as much weight as the book does. For a lot of students, this is their favorite book they read in school. And the cherry on top is, after they finish reading and discussing the book, they get to watch the characters come to life in the film version.
2 Casablanca
80 years since its release, and quotes from Michael Curtiz’s Casablanca are still embedded in everyday vernacular. Phrases like “We’ll always have Paris,” and “Here’s looking at you, kid” are commonplace; even though most people who say these lines probably don’t even know where they came from. If there’s any such sign that a film has had a cultural impact so deep, so long-lasting, then this is it. Casablanca is often included near the top slot on lists of the “best movies of all time” and for good reason. It’s got incredible acting from Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman; it’s got a love story for the ages; and it’s all wrapped up in a tidy bow by expert directing, courtesy of Curtiz.
1 Citizen Kane
Ask anyone who knows even a sliver of silver screen history, and they’ll tell you: Citizen Kane is one of the absolute GOATs. Orson Welles’ debut 1941 masterpiece was so innovative in terms of cinematography, so ahead of its time with cutting-edge moviemaking techniques, and bolstered by a plot that still haunts viewers today, that it is a must-watch for cinema buffs and civilians alike.
